After losing their starting quarterback, Kobe Muasau, to a fractured bone in his throwing hand, the Morgan State Bears will be moving forward with redshirt freshman Raymond Moore III as their starting quarterback.
Moore was also named the MEAC Rookie of the Week for the third time this year.
“I feel good about it, I’m glad to be named rookie of the week, but I haven’t really been focused on that,” said Moore. “At the end of the day my whole goal is winning the MEAC championship.”
For Moore, who is a Baltimore native and grew up just minutes from campus, leading the Bears is more than just a football role; it’s a hometown dream coming full circle.
Moore attended Mergenthaler Vocational-Technical High School (Mervo), located less than 10 minutes from Morgan State.
He played football there during his junior and senior years, but his junior season was marked by injuries and adversity.
“I feel like Mervo developed me enough to where I’m ready [to] take the starting quarterback role, as if I already did it, it’s not as new to me,” said Moore.
Patrick Nixon, Mervo’s head coach for the past 17 years, guided Moore early in his career and described him as a natural leader.
“He was a kid that led by example, he was the face of our program while he was here, not only on the football field but in the classroom,” said Nixon.
Moore and his teammates faced tragedy during his junior year when one of their players was killed just hours before a game.
“He was part of the team that unfortunately, our team was derailed by gun violence, one of our players unfortunately was shot and killed,” said Nixon. “He was able to pick us all up and pick the program up and return to a state championship and reform.”
The team reached the state championship game, ultimately falling just short in a 21–20 loss to North Point High School.
Moore made the most of his second career start against Howard University, showcasing his leadership and dual-threat ability. He went 13-of-25 for 171 passing yards and one touchdown, while also leading the Bears in rushing with 11 carries for 99 yards.
“It feels good being named the starting quarterback, the coaches and the team put their trust in me to lead this team, I’m honored to have the position, now it’s time to go to work,” said Moore.
Moore first made his mark earlier this season by leading the Bears to a homecoming victory in his debut start for Morgan.
Through five games, he has completed 35 of 69 passes for 414 yards and two touchdowns, while adding 252 rushing yards and averaging 8.1 yards per carry.
The Bears (3–5) are seeking their first conference win of the season when they visit South Carolina State (5–3) on Saturday, November 1, at Oliver C. Dawson Stadium. Kickoff is set for 2 p.m.
